S/ Emperor Naruhito / I am happy to be able to meet with all of you again.

The Japanese emperor gave a toast at an official dinner banquet hosted by the Mongolian president and his wife in Ulaanbaatar on July 8.

He also played the viola with a national orchestra featuring Mongolia's traditional stringed instrument.

Naruhito also played the viola when he visited Mongolia for his first time in 2007 when he was crown prince.

This time, he played a Mongolian song and a Japanese song as Empress Masako looked on.

The emperor and empress arrived in Mongolia on July 6 for an eight-day state visit.

On the afternoon of July 8, they went to a memorial for Japanese nationals who died while detained in Mongolia after World War II.

The war came to an end on August 15, 1945, but more than 570,000 Japanese nationals held as prisoners of war in the former Soviet Union remained detained after the war and were used as forced laborers.

About 14,000 of them were sent to Mongolia to engage in tasks including urban construction in harsh environments amid the severe cold, and about 2,000 lost their lives in the country.

The imperial couple offered prayers to those who perished here 80 years ago, far away from home.

This was the first time for a Japanese emperor to visit the memorial and console the souls of detainees who died in Mongolia.

An 88-year-old Japanese woman was also at the memorial.

Suzuki Fusae was 8 years old when her father contracted tuberculosis and died at age 39 while detained in Mongolia.

She still remembers the time her father left for war.

S/ Suzuki Fusae / I still remember my voice, calling out, "Dad! Dad!" with all my might until I could no longer see the long train he boarded. That was the last time I saw him. I wonder how he endured hunger and cold.

Suzuki told the emperor about her feelings and expressed appreciation to him.

S/ Suzuki Fusae / He said I must have had a hard time after my father died and that he feels sorry for me. I am very thankful and honored.

Suzuki was accompanied by her 13-year-old granddaughter.

S/ Suzuki's granddaughter / I've never met my great-grandfather, but I want to share my experience with my friends and people around me when I return to Japan.

Emperor Naruhito expressed hope toward the future of Japan and Mongolia.

S/ Emperor Naruhito / I hope that the younger generation, who will serve as a bridge between our two countries, will carry on the path paved by their predecessors, and that the seeds of cooperation sown across this vast land will bloom into many flowers.